1. Field
The present invention relates to providing an improved service access between a user and at least one service provider.
2. Description of Related Art
Presently, there are a multitude of different services that are available to a user each of which may be offered by a different service provider. For example, a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) may provide the service of mobile voice and data calls, an Internet Service Provider (ISP) may provide the service of Internet access, a telecommunication operator (Telco) may provide the service of fixed voice calls, an access provider may provide the service of broadband access, a further service provider may provide the service of Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) or Video on Demand (VoD) and so on. Furthermore, it is expected that in the future as technologies advance more and more different services will become available to the user where different service providers may also offer those services.
Accordingly, a user that requires more than one service will typically have to sign a contract with each of the different service providers. However, having several contracts with several service providers for different services, where each contract will most likely have different terms and conditions, different tariffs or costs, different points of contact, different contract lengths etc, may cause confusion and difficulties for the user.
Therefore, a user would prefer to have a single contract for all, or for the majority, of the services they want to use which has been recognised in the industry. In order to address this, one service provider, e.g. a Telco, may expand their operations to include further services such as Internet access which they can offer as a package to the user. In another mode of operation, several service providers may agree to offer their services as part of a package with one of the service providers acting as the face to the user. In a further mode of operation, a separate company may have an agreement with the service providers to package several services together where the service broker offers the package to a user.
However, in each of the above modes of operation the user is restricted to receiving the services that are provided as part of the package. For example, one package may include an excellent fixed service and mobile service but a poor Internet access service as there is no flexibility in the package of services. Furthermore, in each of the above modes of operation the company or service provider that is facing the end user and providing a package of services may be known as a service broker.
Typically, in order for a user to receive a service they require specific end user equipment or node, e.g. a set top box, to be connected to the user's home network via an access router. Alternatively, the access router may include the functionality necessary to enable the user to receive the service where the functionality is typically separate to the access router's normal functionality, for example a print server may be incorporated into the access router.
An access router is typically the access point between the user's home network and an external network which may be based on various communication protocols and technologies such as a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) network, cable network, Passive optical Network (PON), satellite network and so on. Thus, the access router typically includes various functionalities such as Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DCHP), Network Address Translation (NAT), a firewall and so on. The standard functionality of an access router is well known in the art and therefore not described in detail.
The specific end user equipment is typically provided by the service provider and as such is usually branded by the service provider meaning that it cannot be re-used by a different service provider should the user decide to switch the supplier of a particular service. The service provider supplying the end user equipment will typically also want control over the end user equipment in order to commission the end user equipment but also to prevent users or other third parties from performing any unauthorised alterations to the end user equipment. Moreover, as the service provider supplies the end user equipment then the cost of manufacturing the end user equipment will typically be added to the tariff or subscription charges levied by the service provider.
Thus, there is currently a need to provide the ability to enable a service broker to use generic end user equipment, to be able to flexibly choose any service provider for a particular service and to enable the chosen service provider to configure the generic end user equipment as the service broker may not have the means or the ability to control and configure the end user equipment.